In the world of work, the effects of social measures that governments are being forced to take have proven to be incredibly challenging for businesses and employees. However, for many business leaders around the world, they are now starting to turn their attention to the potential long-term implications of the pandemic on the next era of work.
For many businesses, scaling up and sustaining growth often seems unachievable, even when the brand has a profitable product or service. Investor and advisor, Sharon Brown, principal of Amplify Equity Inc. has recently adopted a laser focus for helping businesses step-up to the next level by leveraging investor expertise, industry experience, networks, and connections to help them grow faster.
Cazoo, the UK’s fastest growing digital business which is transforming the way we buy used cars, has today joined the exclusive list of companies known as unicorns, with valuations in excess of $1bn. Founded 18 months ago by serial entrepreneur Alex Chesterman and having launched only 6 months ago, Cazoo is now the fastest British business ever to have reached the rare and coveted unicorn status.
It goes without saying that for any business, in any sector, in order for it to survive, grow and prosper, sales are imperative, because sales generate profit and cash flow and these are the lifeblood of any business. It is understandable, therefore, that I often overhear the question ‘how do I promote my business?’
So far, the first half of 2020 has felt like six years, not six months. Every new month seems to bring with it global challenges and the threat of coronavirus still looms. The knock-on effect of COVID-19 has been significant, with the FTSE100 losing nearly a quarter of its value in late March – the biggest drop in history.
When (or indeed if) office-based employees make a return to work, now that lockdown restrictions are slowly beginning to ease, they are likely to find a very different world to the one they left behind. Startups, by their very nature, are inherently innovative, adaptable, flexible, and more willing than most to embrace change.
2019 was a record breaking year for VC investment in UK startups ($13.2bn, an increase of 44% compared to the previous year) and the amount of VC dry powder in Europe is higher than ever before(more last year’s raises here). Success stories of companies raising millions without a formal pitch deck (Hopin, an online events platform) or still in beta and during lockdown (Clubhouse, a voice-based social media app) do sound inspiring.
Start it X, the programme dedicated to driving innovation within large companies, announces the launch of a new matchmaking service. Start it X will help corporates innovate by connecting them to established scale-ups from all over the world. In doing so, the accelerator gives Belgian companies faster access to innovations developed in other countries while positioning the Benelux as a highly attractive region for trade.
European challenger bank bunq today joins forces with global charities to aid its mission to make the world a better place. Following a public beta programme, which saw bunq ask its users to share their insights and to test its new app before rolling out to the masses, bunq is now unveiling ‘Common Goals’.










